This weekend marks a big one for FloWrestling. We will be broadcasting live from the Big 12 Championships in Kansas City, MO on Saturday and Sunday.

When I think of the Big 12 Championships, it brings back a lot of memories for me, and not necessarily great ones. I wrestled in the Big 12 Championships four times and never made it to the NCAA Championships. My first two years I lacked experience and was wrestling at 133 pounds.

After a redshirt year and just missing out on qualifying as a junior at 125, I had one shot left.

Saturday, March 8, 2003. The Big 12 Championships my senior year of college.

I remember it like it was yesterday.

I was the fourth seed out of five, but I liked my draw. If I won my first match, I would see top-seeded Bo Maynes of Oklahoma in the semifinal, and we had split matches. The other semifinal had two returning All-American. I had a legitimate shot to make the Big 12 finals and from there anything could happen.

Missouri was hosting the Big 12 Championships which was then made up of Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Iowa State, Nebraska and Missouri

I entered the event set to face Iowa State's fifth-seeded Grant Nakamura, we had never wrestled.

Late in that first match, I trailed by two and Nakamura had riding time. I got an under hook and hit a single leg. As we wrestled through the position he caught my far ankle and I was able to hop over his hips. In the final seconds, I turned from his feet to his head and caught him on his back for a takedown, and what looked like a couple of back points.

I won. I couldn't believe I had pulled it out.

But I thought wrong. The referee did indeed swipe more than once, three times I believe. But apparently the towel tapper missed him as he jumped down to count near fall. After pleading and arguing from both coaching staffs, it was determined there was no near fall.

I lost the match 5-4.

That match was essentially to go to the NCAA tournament. Jason Powell lost his semifinal, then beat me in the consolation semifinal and beat Nakamura for third.

Nakamura received a wild card bid to the NCAA tournament. I was done.

To this day, it still stings, but not on the same level as Cary Kolat or Terry Brands.

Some of my favorite memories from the Big 12 Championships actually came in the years after I graduated and got to sit back and enjoy as a spectator. So much great wrestling!

This year's event will feature a lot of talent including the second-ranked Oklahoma State Cowboys, their pound-for-pound king Alex Dieringer and Oklahoma's returning NCAA Champion Cody Brewer.

The Big 12 Championships take place this Saturday and Sunday. Here is the schedule. All times are CST

Saturday
11:00am- Preliminary Matches & Quarterfinals
5:00pm- Semifinals & Consolation Quarterfinals

Sunday
9:00am- Consolation Semifinals, 3rd & 5th Place Matches

WATCH: LIVE only on FloWrestling



Here's that first round match vs Nakamura from Iowa State.